Characterization of Leishmania infantum thiol-dependent reductase 1 and evaluation of its potential to induce immune protection

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Silva, AM (Author) Other; Tavares, J (Author) Other; Silvestre, R (Author) Other; Ouaissi, A (Author) Other; Coombs, GH (Author) Other; Cordeiro da Silva, A (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Parasite Immunology

Vol. 34

Pages: 345-350

ISSN: 0141-9838

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 11 Citations

Scopus - 9 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-9SS

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2012.01361.x

Abstract (EN): The need to develop an effective vaccine against leishmaniasis to prevent the 2 million new cases each year led to the search for antigens able to elicit protection against infection with Leishmania. In this study, we have characterized a parasite-specific protein of Leishmania infantum named thiol-dependent reductase 1 (TDR1). The protein is present in both life cycle stages of L.similar to infantum with a notable higher expression in the amastigote forms, suggesting a role in the interaction between the parasite and the mammalian host. Thiol-dependent reductase 1 is localized in the cytosol, although we were able to detect the protein in the culture medium of both promastigotes and axenic amastigotes, and consequently, TDR1 is considered an excreted/secreted molecule of the parasite. Therefore, we have evaluated the potential of TDR1 recombinant protein to protect against experimental challenge with L.similar to infantum parasites using a murine model. Despite a reduction in spleen parasite load in the chronic phase of disease, TDR1 administration was not effective in the protection of Balb/c mice against visceral leishmaniasis and thus TDR1 do not have a crucial role in the modulation of mammalian host immune response, as observed with its protein counterpart Tc52 of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6